Pt 6 on Psalm 51.
Wow, this is the 2nd time I had a series going and down to the final installment when it got put on hold - and during the break, God showed me more. I won't go back through all the previous verses, but there were some insights that made the remaining verses (14-19) even more meaningful for me. I'll share some of that today, and hopefully finish the passage in the next post (to avoid one really long blog-post). As I've stated, we as Christians can read Ps.51 from a standpoint of great rejoicing because we have as our experience much for which David prayed. The fact is, though, sometimes we don't feel that joy and come to God in earnest longing for renewal.
What stood out to me most as I reread this passage a few days ago was the depth of our need and thoroughness of His response.
vs.1. "...according to the greatness of Your compassion...." - massive, expansive, broad, deep, huge, mountainous, unfathomable compassion - more than enough, but exactly what I need to blot out my transgressions, failures and sin.
vs.2. "Wash me thoroughly...." - thoroughly - completely; permeate me; every nook and cranny, every micro-pore of my spiritual being where iniquity and sin do or could possibly reside - "and cleanse me from my sin."
vs.3. Because that's what it will take. I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
I know them. I see them. I can't shake the memory of them. I look at me & I see my failures.
I know them. I understand them. I see how they work, how they stain and soak in and permeate (hence, the need for "thorough" washing.
vs.5. "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." I am evil down to the moment of conception, to the embryo, to the fertilized egg - to the very core of my being. Hence, again, the need for Your thorough cleansing and Your great compassion.
vs.6. Again, "Behold." It is at that very level that You, God, desire truth - my innermost being. In the hidden part - the core of me, every nook & cranny & micro-pore - You will make me know wisdom - as thoroughly, if not more-so, than I know my sin. I will see it, constantly. I will look at me and I will see wisdom. I will see Jesus, who is wisdom from God & righteousness & sanctification & redemption. I will understand wisdom, how it works, how it operates, how it/how HE frees me from transgression, iniquity and sin.
vs.7.Father, I don't fully understand "hyssop", but I do understand "shall." You purify and I shall be clean; You wash and I shall be whiter than snow.
My need is thorough, but so is His response.
Just for clarity - when David said, "in sin did my mother conceive me" he was not saying his parents were sinning. He was the 7th of 7 sons. That's why I believe he was saying, "I'm sinful down to my core, to the minutest part of me, to the embryonic/one-cell me." He didn't have our understanding of cells and anatomy, but he did understand that he began at conception. He felt the weight of his sin down to the core of his being. He was thoroughly sinful, and therefore needed thorough cleansing.
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